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Sunday, June 27, 2010

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had guests for dinner last evening and I wanted to share the lovely soup we had to start the meal with you. It is French in origin, and has a highfalutin name that makes it sound more formal and pretentious than it actually is. I do, however, work on the theory, that those who know a language are entitled to use the name with which they are most familiar. Lovers of France and the French language call this potage, Soupe Crème de Choux-Fleurs et Pomme au Curry. Those of us who lack the requisite language skills will call it Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup. Julia Child would have loved this recipe. It's based on one developed by Daniel Boulud and I think you'll love it too. It's actually easier to make than any of Julia's recipes and were you to eliminate the garnish, the soup is no harder to make than good old tomato soup. Really. Our local farmer's markets have shelves bending under the weight of cauliflower and it's also being tucked into CSA boxes. This is a wonderful way to use it up. The recipe has been developed to provide six servings and uses a cup of heavy cream. None of you need my permission to swap light for heavy cream. It changes the texture of the soup but it is still lovely. The recipe can also be doubled if you have a gang to feed. When I make the soup for family I omit the garnish, but I do use it when we have guests around the table. I use saffron when we have the queen to dinner. Those of you who try this are in for a sweet and spicy treat. It's smooth and creamy, and, like most cream soups, can be made well in advance of serving. Here's the recipe.

Directions:1) For soup: Warm chicken stock over medium heat. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, curry powder, and saffron and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add sliced apple and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add cauliflower and warm chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 20 minutes. Add cream and cook for 3 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée at high speed until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Keep warm until ready to serve or refrigerate when cool and reheat just before serving.2) For garnish: Place diced apples with 1 tablespoon of water in a pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Strain and keep warm. 3) To serve: Ladle soup into warm soup bowls or cups. Sprinkle garnish over top. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

63 comments
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oh yum- I love the name and love the combination- I just returned from the Chinese market and had cauliflower in my hand- alas I didn't buy it but I noticed the same thing- There is a lot in season- Thanks for sharing-

We are still some time away from cauliflower here... I always think of it as a September vegetable.. but I look forward to using this recipe then... I love the flavors and you are right, it is simple and you get so much flavor for your effort, Thanks, Mary!

Beautifully elegant. Stealing this one. I am making an cauliflower dish for My Kitchen My World this week and was thinking I would half the recipe, where oh where was the other half of that cauliflower going to go? HERE! Thanks.

I know summer is officially here when I crave something I can drink as food. This will surely hit the spot. And I love the use of cauliflower - maybe this will change some people's POV on this lovely but lowely veggie.

I'm not a huge fan of cauliflower, but you make this sound and look so incredibly tasty, I just might have to give it a shot. I love the idea of the curried apple garnish...THAT is something I could use in other ways. Thanks so much for sharing!

Mary, that does it! I've decided I'm just moving to wherever you are, and you have to adopt me! Yes, Mr. Magpie and I are both up for adoption, and we are coming to live with YOU! See what you've done with your recipes and your tempting photos???

Mary, I always enjoy when I read your posts....thanks for all those remarks concerning Julia and Daniel B.The soup is interesting. I love soups (Polish people are soup eaters and traditional people eat them nearly every day a first dish or main meal called "obiad"). Have a good day ...

I just had to come all the way down to the bottom of the comments so I could add mine! What a sublime soup! Thankyou for posting. I have bookmarked it, and I can't wait to try it. O I would love to use saffron in it!Thanks Mary!

I have a standard Cream of Cauliflower Soup recipe, which has converted many. My family enjoys curried cauliflower. The combination of flavor in your recipe, and the addition of apples seems very appealing. This has to be delicious.Greetings from California,Lana

This recipe really appeals to me, Mary, and I would have to substitute vegetable stock for the chicken to be right for the vegetarian in my household---but I think that the full bodied flavors intrinsic in the dish will still shine through beautifully. Thanks!

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